Teaching as a Lifestyle

Dear Teacher,

This is the first in a series of posts by substitute “Love, Teachers”.  As you have probably read, I am taking a short hiatus from the blog (as well as anything else school-related).  I feel that this is important.  Despite popular thought, teachers do not stop for the summer.  Often times we work harder during the summer than during the school year.  We plan.  We go to trainings.  We go to workshops.  We teach summer school.  We tutor.  We do any number of things to help students and prepare for the next year.  For this reason, I think it is important to force yourself to take a break.  That is exactly what I am doing.

That said, let me introduce my new friend, Dubier.  Dubier is a Spanish teacher at an international school in Sweden.  Yes, with this post, my blog is officially international!  Dubier has a blog called I teach with IT.  The blog shares his experiences as a teacher that promotes flip teaching, the use of IT and motivation to improve the education for students.  Please check it out.  I asked him to guest-post because his blog is both encouraging and challenging.

I think this is a great and motivational message, and I hope you agree!  Without further ado, let me hand it over to Dubier.

To be a teacher is a lifestyle.

What does it means to be a teacher?  Are teachers only a person who goes to work Monday to Tuesday, planning their lessons, teach and goes home afterwards?  If I would ask many teachers, they would answer YES to that question. Understand me right, it is their full right to think so but I am of another opinion.  I would like to say that to be a teacher are not a role or job for me, to be teacher is a lifestyle. Lifestyle starts from the moment you wake up until you fall asleep.  Your lifestyle is not dependent on a location or time schedule, but it continues as long as you are awake.

Many teachers complaints are about the salary, time schedule and that they need to do some extra work for students. Think about teaching as a lifestyle and maybe you would think differently.  A lifestyle is something that you choose,  to feel good about yourself, and not something you choose to get something in return.  The greatest feeling is when you helped students to achieve something that they didn’t think they could just because you as a teacher didn’t just think about your schedule or salary but the student´s best.  That is worth all the money or time in the world. don´t you think?

Many teachers could feel very stressed when parents call after working hours.  To be honest I am one of them.  However we need think about it in another perspective.  They are calling us because they think that we are the only one that could help them.  They trust us with their children.  They are calling us after their working hours when they are tired.  They even call sometimes during weekends when they rather doing something fun.  What does that cost us? nothing. 5 minutes of our life…..that maybe could help the parents have a great weekend before they start over again on monday.  Do we get paid for that?  Yes, in satisfaction

To be a teacher is not only about the students and parents.  It’s also about your colleagues.  In my opinion your responsibility as a teacher is also to be available for your colleagues when they need support and help.  Not just during working hours but also outside.

This are few things that is included in my lifestyle. what is included in yours?

Thank you so much, Dubier, for your encouragement and challenge!  You are awesome!  You are awesome, too, Teacher, as always!  Keep on teaching, Teacher Dubier and every teacher everywhere!

Love, Teacher

For more hope and encouragement: @DearTeacherLT (Twitter) and Dear Teacher/Love Teacher Facebook Page.